The Los Angeles Lakers have made a bold move with regard to the future of their first-round selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.
L.A. has reportedly decided not to pick up the third-year option for young point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, sources inform Shams Charania of ESPN. He will now become an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning he essentially needs to prove his case as an NBA talent this season while his current team has essentially punted on his upside.
Hood-Schifino, 21, has yet to make a dent in new Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick's rotation this season.
The Indiana product also couldn't crack former head coach Darvin Ham's lineups last year before undergoing a season-ending lumbar microdiscectomy in late March 2024.
In his 21 contests for Los Angeles as a rookie, Hood-Schifino mostly played mop-up minutes, averaging 1.6 points on .222/.133/.600 shooting splits and 0.6 rebounds across 5.2 minutes a night.
Hood-Schifino did look better while playing for the Lakers' G League affiliate club, the South Bay Lakers, last year. Presumably, he could get some more run there this season, too. In 15 bouts for South Bay, Hood-Schifino averaged 22.0 points while slashing .473/.432/.800, along with 5.3 dimes (against 3.3 turnovers), 4.7 boards, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks a night.
The young guard is a raw developmental project, and theoretically would do his best with the rock in his hands — which it won't be in a talented Lakers offense. Now, of course, L.A. has drafted another raw, developmental project at the point, former USC Trojans backup point guard Bronny James. Los Angeles selected the 20-year-old, the eldest son of 20-time All-Star Lakers combo forward LeBron James, with the No. 55 pick in this past June's 2024 NBA Draft.
Read more: Bronny James, Son of LeBron, Drafted by Lakers in Second Round of NBA Draft.
Bronny James, who is not a part of Redick's rotation either, has already leapfrogged Hood-Schifino. The 6-foot-2 rookie has appeared in two games playing garbage minutes, while Hood-Schifino has yet to suit up for Los Angeles at all, across five possible contests.
Opting not to pick up even the third-year option of a young player is essentially a vote of no confidence in that player's upside for a team. It's disappointing that that is how team vice president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka views Hood-Schifino, but Hood-Schifino hasn't exactly endeared himself to the team on the hardwood.
What makes his botched draft pick all the more disappointing is the fact that several win-now role players were readily available to Los Angeles just below Hood-Schifino in the draft. Why Pelinka and co. decided to take a flier on a young talent who needed time and patience — on a team where neither of those things would be forthcoming — is anyone's guess.
Letting go of Hood-Schifino and his projected $4.1 million rookie-scale contract means the Lakers should have $176 million owed to their returning players for 2025-26. As Bobby Marks of ESPN observes, that will put L.A. $10 million below the league's estimated luxury tax, meaning the team would be able to sign a free agent via the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, a valuable tool to a club desperate for veteran depth.
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